Witch's Wisdom: A Holistic Perspective on Living Comfortably with Your Dog

My mother is a witch.

That said,
she doesn't use sorcery,
nor is this a spiritual story.

Do you know Kiki's mother,
Kokiri,
from the Ghibli film 'Kiki's Delivery Service'?

She is a witch who lives quietly in a small house deep in the forest,
making medicine from herbs,
and supporting the health of the townspeople.

In the story,
there was a scene where she was preparing
rheumatism medicine for Mrs. Dora.

Actually, that scene
is a form of natural therapy using herbs.

Yes, my mother, like Kokiri,
is one of those people who enjoys
incorporating the power of nature,
such as herbs and aromatherapy,into her daily life.

🪄A Witch's Wisdom for Holistic Care

During the witch hunts of medieval Europe,

among those who were judged
were also folk natural healers.

They utilized the blessings of nature,
such as flowers and plants,
to heal physical and mental ailments,
supporting people's health.

It was 'wisdom and care for living healthily while utilizing the power of nature'
from a time before medicine and drugs were established.

To the average person at the time,

it might have appeared as a mysterious power,
just like 'magic.'
It is a very sad history that helping people live healthy lives

caused them to be feared as witches
and sometimes persecuted.

🪷What is Holistic Care?

Holistic is a concept that means
【Wholeness, Connection, Balance】.
It is characterized by viewing health and happiness not in parts,


but as a whole, including the connection between mind, body, environment, and society.

For example, when you feel unwell,
it's not just about 'suppressing these symptoms.'

It's about asking, 'What is the cause or trigger for this discomfort?'

'Is there anything I can adjust in my daily life?'

'Is my heart feeling tired from worries?'

Looking at things from various angles like this
to raise your overall strength
is a holistic perspective.

In modern times,
the term holistic care
is becoming known little by little.

By incorporating the blessings of nature,
such as supporting the improvement of natural healing power and boosting immunity,
the idea of using them to enhance life force is being re-evaluated.

As a dog owner,

ensuring your dog is healthy in both mind and body🐕

while living in harmony with human society and the environment🌏

living comfortably✨

If you think about supporting this,
does it become a little easier to imagine?

🌭The Octopus Wiener Incident

Under the sparkling sun,
a field trip lunch eaten happily with friends.

This happened when I was in the first grade of elementary school.

My eyes suddenly fell on a friend's lunch box,
and I was shocked in my heart,
'What?! The octopus wiener is orange...!'

The wieners served in my home were

so-called uncolored,
dull-colored ones.
Until then,

I had never seen reddish-orange wieners.
It was an era when

additive-free foods were much less known than they are now,
and were often looked at with strange eyes.

In my mind at the time,
it was a world mystery discovery!

As soon as I got home,
I excitedly told my mother, 'Mom! Are there colorful wieners?!'
and she laughed out loud.
Looking back,

this might have been a story about 'the perspective of choosing food.'
When choosing food for your dog,
processed products that smell good

and colorful treats
might look photogenic and attractive at first glance.
But what materials are they made of?
Where did they come from?

Just by paying a little attention to these things,

your choices can change.

Thanks to my mother,
'things born from a healthy food chain make people and animals energetic'
—that sense was naturally nurtured in me.

♾️Blessings of Nature and the Power of Civilization

The topic of a holistic perspective

is sometimes looked at askance,

like 'Are you anti-Western medicine?'

or 'Are you one of those high-consciousness organic types?'
In my case,

I think it's probably not as formal
as people might imagine.
If anything,
I rely on the hospital properly whenever something is different,

and on busy days,
I rely on frozen foods or enjoy junk food.
Holistic means

【Wholeness, Connection, Balance】.
While incorporating the blessings of nature,

I believe that receiving the benefits of medicine and science,
and enjoying experiences that can only be had now,
are also important choices.

'Natural' doesn't always mean justice,
and if you lean too much toward one genre or method,
you might narrow your own possibilities.

It's not about which is good or bad,
but finding the 'just right' balance for yourself right now.

The same goes for caring for your dog.

Treatments you receive at the hospital,
and support you can provide at home.

By combining what you can do,
'finding the just right balance for my dog'

so that both my dog and I
can be happy and healthy,
that is the thought at the center of my heart.

🫶Let's go with a 'just right' balance🎵

Currently, my mother has reached her 'around-sixties' and enjoys practicing witchcraft as a hobby.
In my own life with my dog, there are many times when a 'holistic' perspective provides support.

Things like diet,
daily care,
and the environment...

There is no need to be perfect in everything;
just do what you can, without burden, and while enjoying the process.

Find the methods and levels that are necessary for you and your dog right now.

Learn from past experiences and mistakes,
and adjust the balance
toward the future you want to create.

To be the kind of person who can choose those things,
I will continue to learn about holistic care for dogs.
(Writing this note is part of that too 🎶)

Why not incorporate a little bit of 'just the right amount' (yoi-kagen)
into your comfortable life with your dog? 🪷

Thank you for reading until the end. 🌱
I would be happy if this article could add a touch of comfort to the daily lives of dogs and HSP dog owners.

If you could share your feelings

by clicking 'Like',
it would be encouraging. 🐾
If you could connect with me again

by 'following,' it would warm my heart. 🐶